Which BIg East program steps up?

[superjohn]

The league is really good and UConn is on the cusp of being elite again which makes the league that much better but I still want another team or 2 to step it up for even more national acclaim.

Who do boneyarders think makes that leap if anyone? Georgetown is the obvious one who could help the league so much but it hasn't happened yet. Xavier is a really good program but Travis Steele has underwhelmed a bit. Does Shaka bring Marquette back to where they've been before? Milwaukee is a basketball crazed town and they love the Golden Eagles. Creighton has a great fanbase and McDermott restocked with the #7 class.

Thoughts?

 

[NowInStorrs]

I think Marquette and Shaka being good would be good for the league.

 

[MJ1]

Creighton has recruited very well and coach seems to have dodge a bullet and has full support of school. I think Creighton moves up to upper echelon of league over next few years.

 

[Brochacho]

Well ideally UConn will step up. Didn't win a game against the other top 4 teams and were .500 vs 5 and 6. 7 of our 11 BE wins were against teams that were below .500 in their overall record and 10 of our 11 BE wins were against teams with a losing Big East record. We could be anywhere between 1st and 8th this year.

 

[auror]

I think Creighton should continue being a top 20 team going forward past this year. McDermott is probably the best coach of the non-Wright's in the conference, and if they were going to falter, it would have been with this recruiting cycle. There's a chance they're not amazing this year, but as long as they retain and get better, they should be good going forward.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Frankly, we need to be one of the teams that steps up, win 18-20 games, and win a freaking tournament game already; it’s been 6 years

 

[Tiamat7]

Xavier should be good, and could advance to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. This is a brand that has been historically competitive. Coach Steele is probably gone if they don't live up to expectations.

Like others on here, I'd really like to see St John's and Georgetown improve. Each showed signs last year, but the high turnover within their programs gives considerable pause. St John's at least has their elite core returning. Losing established center Wahab to Maryland really lowers Georgetown's ceiling for this year.

 

[Bobol]

Villanova will step up again this season, and likely will be a top 25 team every heat Jay Wright is their coach.

 

[goskis2018]

I'm hoping that the St. John's program is coming together, Posh Alexander and Champagnie could both be first team all-league players. I suspect Champagnie is gone after this year, but I could see Alexander keeping them competitive for the next three years.

 

[UconnU]

Xavier is going to be really good

 

[ucp990411]

Only one team I would like to see step, all the other ones can pound sand.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Georgetown added a top 25 guard to their tournament team, they could be the surprise top 5 finish imo. I'd guess:

1. Nova
2. UConn
3. Creighton
4. St John's
5. Georgetown

 

[auror]

Georgetown added a top 25 guard to their tournament team, they could be the surprise top 5 finish imo. I'd guess:

They also lost like 5 of their best 7 guys.

 

[superjohn]

Georgetown added a top 25 guard to their tournament team, they could be the surprise top 5 finish imo. I'd guess:

1. Nova
2. UConn
3. Creighton
4. St John's
5. Georgetown

Creighton lost just about everyone, the freshmen will be good but still freshmen. A top 5 finish for them this year would be tough, Xavier needs to be in there.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Long term, it's a coin flip between Georgetown and Creighton.

Ewing has seemed to have found the balance between acquiring talent and building the culture he wants. Their '21 class is incredible and their '22 class is off to a great start with Anglin.

Greg McDermott has been doing his thing in Omaha for over the decade but now, he's finally getting top-end talent. Between the '20 and '21 classes he's signed his five highest ranked prospects.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

The league is really good and UConn is on the cusp of being elite again which makes the league that much better but I still want another team or 2 to step it up for even more national acclaim.

Who do boneyarders think makes that leap if anyone? Georgetown is the obvious one who could help the league so much but it hasn't happened yet. Xavier is a really good program but Travis Steele has underwhelmed a bit. Does Shaka bring Marquette back to where they've been before? Milwaukee is a basketball crazed town and they love the Golden Eagles. Creighton has a great fanbase and McDermott restocked with the #7 class.

Thoughts?

I wouldn’t mind seeing Ed Cooley and Providence make a comeback. Providence is where the conference was founded, thanks to Dave Gavitt.

 

[Huskyforlife]

They also lost like 5 of their best 7 guys.

Well I feel stupid

 

[Huskyforlife]

Creighton lost just about everyone, the freshmen will be good but still freshmen. A top 5 finish for them this year would be tough, Xavier needs to be in there.

It's really just a trust in McDermott. Admittedly not that confident in the take.

 

[Zissou]

I think this is the year Nova steps up.

 

[MU in MKE]

Only one team I would like to see step, all the other ones can pound sand.

This is a narrow point of view. The stronger the conference, the better off UConn is. Whether it’s recruiting, resume building for the tournament, or just plain ole high level competition to help the team improve… it’s all beneficial.





Regarding original question, if we're talking long term and not just this season, I think there’s four potential schools that should or could be in the top tier of the conference.

First one without a doubt right now I think is St. Johns. Anderson is turning out to be a good coach who is able to recruit at a high level and they have some history to build off of.

Georgetown has the history and prestige to get back at any point in time. Ewing can certainly recruit high level talent, but he’s not always able to retain it. He’s always losing important guys just as he’s about to put the final key pieces in place to have great success.

Marquette has top 20 level program resources (read: $$), every year has top 20 attendance, has a strong history and expectations of being in the AP poll every year. Now, with Shaka taking over, they may be able to move past the end of season flameouts of the past 7 years under Wojo. However, with only 3 returning players and extremely young team, it’s going to take a few years to get there.

Last one I'm not as confident in, but will include in the group as having the potential. Creighton is well coached, top 20 fan attendance, and is finally celebrating the jump up to the BE and seeing a building reputation. I thought for sure McDermotts comments last season was a death blow, but thankfully so far it appears I was wrong.



Butler, PC, Seton Hall, Xavier are solid programs that will always be tournament contenders… I just don’t see them as taking that leap to be a year in-year out power program that draws the best talent (coaching and players).



DePaul. Enough said. I’d really like to see a game at Wintrust though. Looks like a really nice arena.

 

[bendm]

i hope marquette. best profile and pedigree of any of the midwestern programs. we'd also have fewer recruiting battles with them then gtown or sju, but would be nice if they could steal more guys from the big10.

 

[Captbluefin]

The only team I am concerned about is UConn stepping up.
Let’s try winning the conference and being a ranked team before worrying about who is stepping up.

 

[freescooter]

Villanova has done it obviously. UConn might. Honestly the others have limited upsides. It isn’t 1965 any more which means St John’s and Providence and Seton Hall are just not becoming national powers. Maybe they have a hot season but if so the coach is suddenly at Iowa State or Texas A&M. Marquette and Creighton are always playing 2nd fiddle to Wisconsin, or Nebraska. Again if they actually make Deep runs they lose their coach to a bigger program. Xavier probably has the best chance but it could well be overwhelmed by Cincinatti and Ohio State. It is the 2nd team now but in a few years it’s #3. Their successful coach did what all will do. Hit the road for the ACC to a program that is utter pond scum, but has the ability to pay. Georgetown isn’t returning its 1980s position. Maybe it could but the current administration really doesn’t care. Truly. Don’t let a lucky run through a relatively weak Newbie tournament fool you. They aren’t that good and won’t be that good except as a fluke. The current Georgetown administration is far more focused on academics than athletics and if it could play in the Ivy League would do it in a heartbeat.

Finally there is DePaul*. Ray Meyer isn’t coming through the door any time soon. They are a real mid major program.

 

[freescooter]

The * should be noted. I borrowed it from TMQ. It means Caution. May contain basketball like substances.

 

[Tiamat7]

Villanova has done it obviously. UConn might. Honestly the others have limited upsides. It isn’t 1965 any more which means St John’s and Providence and Seton Hall are just not becoming national powers. Maybe they have a hot season but if so the coach is suddenly at Iowa State or Texas A&M. Marquette and Creighton are always playing 2nd fiddle to Wisconsin, or Nebraska. Again if they actually make Deep runs they lose their coach to a bigger program. Xavier probably has the best chance but it could well be overwhelmed by Cincinatti and Ohio State. It is the 2nd team now but in a few years it’s #3. Their successful coach did what all will do. Hit the road for the ACC to a program that is utter pond scum, but has the ability to pay. Georgetown isn’t returning its 1980s position. Maybe it could but the current administration really doesn’t care. Truly. Don’t let a lucky run through a relatively weak Newbie tournament fool you. They aren’t that good and won’t be that good except as a fluke. The current Georgetown administration is far more focused on academics than athletics and if it could play in the Ivy League would do it in a heartbeat.

Finally there is DePaul*. Ray Meyer isn’t coming through the door any time soon. They are a real mid major program.

Some fair points, but when was the last time Nebraska did anything notable in basketball? Creighton has overtaken them, objectively, and in the eyes of national media.

And the beauty of college basketball is that if the stars align -- a la Villanova or Gonzaga, or to a far lesser degree a program like VCU -- the non-FBS college can achieve elite status.

That's why schools like Marquette and Georgetown have a fighting chance.